When the liver is not operating at its best, you may have ongoing exhaustion, weakened muscles, or an overall lack of energy.
1. Jaundice: Jaundice is a condition in which the skin, whites of the eyes and mucous membranes turn yellow because of a high level of bilirubin, a yellow-orange bile pigment. It is a common symptom of liver disease.
2. Abdominal pain and swelling: One sign of liver illness can be abdominal pain and edema. Inflammation and scarring of the liver brought on by liver disease can result in discomfort and other symptoms. It's crucial to remember that because the liver lacks pain receptors, liver discomfort is typically caused by inflammation or damage to the tissues around the liver.
3. Swelling in the legs and ankles: Leg and ankle swelling may be a sign of liver disease. Inflammation and scarring of the liver brought on by liver disease can result in discomfort and other symptoms. Fluid retention in the body, or edema, is a common cause of swelling in the legs and ankles.
4. Itchy skin: Chronic liver disease is frequently accompanied with itchy skin. It might be a surface irritation, like on your lower arm, or it might be a general itch. A distracting, frequently overwhelming urge to scratch might result from itching. While the occasional scratch is nothing to worry about, persistent itching can disrupt sleep and cause a variety of other issues.
5. Dark urine color: Dark urine may be an early sign of liver problems and might disclose a lot about your health. If the color of your urine changes to a dark, brownish hue, it can be a sign that your liver is having trouble effectively eliminating waste. On the other hand, stools that are light in color or clay-like may also indicate liver issues.
6. Pale stool color: Pale or clay-colored stools may indicate a significant medical condition such as hepatitis, gallstones, or other liver or biliary diseases. The gallbladder, liver, and pancreas are all parts of the biliary system, which aids in digestion. One of the essential substances that makes this possible is bile, a fluid produced in the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and expelled into the small intestine. Acids in bile, a yellow, brownish, or olive-green liquid, dissolve lipids so they can be absorbed by the body. It contains bilirubin, a pigmented substance that makes your stools brown. The lack of bilirubin causes feces to be light, pale, or clay-colored when there is insufficient bile being generated or released.
7. Chronic fatigue: Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), commonly referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), is a chronic (long-term), complicated, and incapacitating illness that causes great exhaustion and other symptoms.
8. Nausea or vomiting: Chronic nausea and vomiting might result from digestive system disruption caused by liver problems. It's imperative to speak with a healthcare provider if you have these symptoms in addition to the other warning flags listed below.
9. Loss of appetite: Even though weight loss is frequently praised, unexplained weight loss may indicate liver issues. Investigate the root cause, which may have to do with the condition of your liver, if you see weight loss without making adjustments to your diet or exercise regimen.
10. Tendency to bruise easily: Blood clotting proteins are created by the liver. You can notice an increased propensity to bruise quickly or persistent bleeding from little wounds or injuries when it's not working properly.
11. Mental confusion or drowsiness: The symptoms of liver illness can include mental disorientation or fatigue. When the liver is damaged, poisonous compounds like ammonia, which is produced in the intestines, may not be able to leave the body, which could allow them to enter the brain and cause disorientation. Hepatic encephalopathy is the name of the condition, which frequently manifests as disorientation, lethargy, and occasionally draconian alterations in behavior and motor abilities. If the condition is not treated, it could eventually result in a coma (coma hepaticum) or perhaps death.
How can I reduce my risk of liver disease?
You can do these straightforward behaviors to lower your risk of liver disease:
Drink coffee: Research has demonstrated that coffee can assist to delay or prevent liver cancer. Additionally, it aids in preventing fibrosis, a type of scar tissue that can harm the liver. Hepatitis C virus development has been demonstrated to be slowed by consuming one to four cups of coffee daily.
Avoid eating foods high in fructose corn syrup and low-fat, high-sugar diets: Low-fat diets frequently substitute other substances, like sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, which the liver also turns into fat, for the missing fat. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has several characteristics, one of which is extra fat deposited in liver cells.
Try a Mediterranean diet: Since our livers process most of the food we consume, a healthy and balanced diet is good for it. It is advised to follow a Mediterranean diet, which is high in healthy fats like avocados, low in carbohydrates, and high in healthy proteins, particularly fish.
Reduce your alcohol consumption: Cirrhosis of the liver is frequently brought on by excessive alcohol use. Limiting your alcohol intake can help safeguard your liver.
Consume more foods: that are high in antioxidants to help shield your liver from the harm that free radicals can do. Berries, grapes, almonds, green tea, and dark chocolate are among the foods high in antioxidants.
Get moving: Exercise on a consistent basis can help lower the risk of fatty liver disease and enhance overall liver health.
Refrain from using supplements: Some dietary supplements can harm the liver. It's ideal to speak with a medical expert before taking any supplements.
Keep in mind that preventing liver disease also requires maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol consumption, and receiving hepatitis A and B vaccinations.
How can I reduce my risk of liver disease?
You can do these straightforward behaviors to lower your risk of liver disease:
Drink coffee: Research has demonstrated that coffee can assist to delay or prevent liver cancer. Additionally, it aids in preventing fibrosis, a type of scar tissue that can harm the liver. Hepatitis C virus development has been demonstrated to be slowed by consuming one to four cups of coffee daily.
Avoid eating foods high in fructose corn syrup and low-fat, high-sugar diets: Low-fat diets frequently substitute other substances, like sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, which the liver also turns into fat, for the missing fat. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has several characteristics, one of which is extra fat deposited in liver cells.
Try a Mediterranean diet: Since our livers process most of the food we consume, a healthy and balanced diet is good for it. It is advised to follow a Mediterranean diet, which is high in healthy fats like avocados, low in carbohydrates, and high in healthy proteins, particularly fish.
Reduce your alcohol consumption: Cirrhosis of the liver is frequently brought on by excessive alcohol use. Limiting your alcohol intake can help safeguard your liver.
Consume more foods: that are high in antioxidants to help shield your liver from the harm that free radicals can do. Berries, grapes, almonds, green tea, and dark chocolate are among the foods high in antioxidants.
Get moving: Exercise on a consistent basis can help lower the risk of fatty liver disease and enhance overall liver health.
Refrain from using supplements: Some dietary supplements can harm the liver. It's ideal to speak with a medical expert before taking any supplements.
Keep in mind that preventing liver disease also requires maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol consumption, and receiving hepatitis A and B vaccinations.
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Liver Health